Archaism in Jao Tsung-i’s Painting and Calligraphy

Professor Jao Tsung-i passed away in Hong Kong in 2018. Respected as the maestro of Chinese culture, Jao’s academic achievement has been widely recognized. Scholar aside, he was also a passionate painter and calligrapher who believed in what he called the “mutuality between art and learning.” This essay aims to conduct a general survey of the characteristics of his calligraphy and painting with special reference to archaism, which originates from his profound knowledge and scholarship. In Jao’s art there is always the presence of ancient masters and the tradition they expound but not without adaptation to suit the modern artist’s purposes. The writer proposes that Jao, by virtue of his scholarship, is a rare modern calligrapher and painter who embraces the traditional value of “archaism.”